The project would open up thousands of acres to new commercial development from Orlando to Tampa, FL, a 90-mile westward frontier, and from Orlando-Tampa to Lakeland, FL, a 60-mile southward jaunt. But that scenario is not the issue here.

At stake is future tourist market share--a lucrative market dominated by Disney for 30 years in Central Florida. Disney adamantly opposes the direction of the planned rapid rail project that would link the area's largest attractions with a single line. That line would run from Orlando International Airport, run west to the four million-sf Orange County Convention Center; turn south along Interstate 4 on its way to Disney's 30,000-acre enclave; then continue south and west to the Lakeland-Tampa hub.

Disney opposes the line's direction because arch rival Universal Orlando owns 2,000 undeveloped acres adjacent to the convention center where it plans to build 10,000 hotel rooms and at least one new theme park by 2012. Another 20,000 new hotel rooms are also planned along International Drive, the city's main tourist corridor. Those projects could cut into Disney's market share if the new train drops off passengers all along International Drive and at Universal Orlando, Disney fears.

To avoid such a scenario, Disney suggests the train have two legs--one running from the airport directly to Walt Disney World; the other from the airport to the convention center. A two-legged system would add $500 million to the project's cost. If Gov. Bush and the legislators reject Disney's suggestion, the theme park behemoth suggests, in published reports, it would consider building its own rapid rail line from the airport to its front door.

That scenario is a double-edged sword for the governor and his Cabinet since an estimated 800,000 tourists a year currently use some sort of transportation to get from the airport to Disney. If Disney builds its own train, the state-supported rapid rail system could easily lose much-needed ridership and revenue to Disney's train. An estimated three million passengers annually would use the cross-state train with the recommended single rail leg, the transportation agency estimates.

STV Inc. prepared the rapid rail line's route study at an estimated $100,000 fee for the transportation department. The study puts the train's speed at 150 miles per hour and recommends the first phase run from the airport to Union Station in Tampa. An earlier route, from St. Petersburg, FL on Florida's southwest coast to Port Canaveral, FL on the east central side, was rejected by the consultant.

Major corporations such as GTE, Publix Super Markets Inc. of Lakeland, FL and Disney agree the fast train could be a strong marketing lever for Orlando to win the 2012 Olympics bid.

Instant Insights /

Gov. Bush on Hot Seat as Transportation Agency Pushes $1.2-Bil Rail Plan Opposed by Disney

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